


Subliminal

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [57]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 21:48:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7138607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(July 2013) VIPER uses the YouTube video of Bob&Julie's appearance on <i>The Tonight Show</i> to implant subliminal mind control cues into Earth's population</p>
            </blockquote>





	Subliminal

**Author's Note:**

> #### DRAMATIS PERSONAE
> 
> **heroes**
> 
>   * Julie Dormyer Hawkins (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce I), Senior scientist for ProStar, disgustingly-powerful power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Nathan Hawkins (AKA Relativity), son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, speedster
>   * Jacqueline 'Jackie' Drake (AKA Arachne), mutant martial artist/gadgeteer
>   * Laura Hawkins (AKA Chrona), daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, time-elemental
>   * James Hawkins, son of Bob and Julie Hawkins, gadgeteer
>   * Jillian Hawkins, daughter of Bob and Julie Hawkins, cyberkinetic
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Sir Edgar Lancelyn Essec, Supreme Serpent of VIPER
> 

> 
> **other**
> 
>   * Jay Leno, host of NBC's 'Tonight Show'
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Telepathy is denoted by (( )), internal monologue by [[ ]]
> 
> * * *

(NBC Studios, Burbank, CA)

(It's the _Tonight Show_ , live, in media res. Host Jay Leno is introducing his first guest)

 **Jay** : "Our first guest tonight is a retired superheroine, Chairman of the Board for ProStar Industries in Dallas, TX, and just last month won this year's World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Ladies and Gentlemen, Julie Hawkins!"

(applause as Julie 'Ladyhawk' Hawkins walks onstage in a stylish red dress. She waves at the audience before sitting down next to Jay's desk)

 **Jay** : "You look INCREDIBLE! Are you sure you're 51?"

 **Ladyhawk** (smiles): "I'm older than I look."

 **Jay** : "I can SEE that!" (beat) "You're keeping in shape, then?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Well, I'm not punching evil in the face as much as I used to, but yes I am."

(cheers and applause)

 **Jay** : "So what was it like, hunting Doctor Destroyer for 10 years?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Incredibly intense, especially since Bob and I had deliberately revealed our superheroic identities in an attempt to retire after Detroit a decade before that hunt started."

 **Jay** : "And you were doing that as your children were growing, too. I find it hard to believe you were able to handle both jobs..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "You and me both."

 **Jay** : "How were you able to manage that, and being a mother, and being the Chairman of the Board of your company?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Honestly, I'm not quite sure. Can I get back to you on that question?"

(laughter)

 **Jay** : "Changing the subject. You're this year's World Series of Poker champion. Is this the first year you've competed?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "My first year was in 1999, when I came in 3rd place. I've gone a couple of other times since then if parenting and superheroic duties allowed me the time to do so."

 **Jay** : "You *were* a little busy hunting down Doctor Destroyer for 10 of those years..."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yeah. A little."

 **Jay** : "So, what was it like to make the final table again?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Exhilirating! Especially since I knocked out the guy that knocked me out of the 1999 final table to get there!" /* Phil Hellmuth */

 **Jay** : "Didn't it take two days to finish the final table?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "It was intense. NOT what I had gone through in 1999."

 **Jay** : "So what was the last hand like?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Last hand, Ryan had a Queen-5 suited in spades, I had Ace-King suited in Hearts. Ryan went all in, I called. The flop was Jack of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, 4 of Clubs. The turn was 3 of Clubs. When the River landed four of Diamonds, it was just so surreal." (beat) "You don't *expect* a pair of fours with an ace kicker to win $8 million!"

 **Jay** : "So what are you going to do with those winnings?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Reinvest them in the Dallas area, mostly in homeless shelters, community reinvestment programs, and education."

(applause)

 **Jay** : "No more superheroing?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Not if I can help it."

(laughter)

 **Ladyhawk** (smiling, continuing): "I *am* 51, remember?"

(Jay laughs)

 **Jay** : "We're going to take a break. We'll be back!"

* * *

(NBC Studios, Burbank, CA Two minutes later)

(The _Tonight Show_ comes out of break with Bob 'Starforce' Hawkins just about 2 minutes into Oscar Peterson's cover of 'C Jam Blues' with the bassist and drummer from the house band. They go on for another half a minute after the cameras go live before the bassist signals Bob to end it)

(loud applause. Bob smiles and nods to the audience, then shakes the bassist's and drummer's hands)

 **Jay** : Ladies and gentlemen, our next guest! A retired superhero, the 1991 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, and apparently a very skilled pianist, Bob Hawkins!"

(Bob gets up from the piano smiling to more applause, shakes Jay's hand, and shares a lingering kiss with Julie)

 **Jay** : "Alright, alright, there'll be quite enough of that!"

(laughing, Bob and Julie sit down)

 **Jay** : "I've never had to start an interview with the phrase 'Get a room,' and I don't intend to start that now!"

(audience, Bob and Julie laugh)

 **Jay** (to Bob): "Dr. Hawkins, where'd you learn to play the piano like that?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "I... I don't really know, honestly. I've always been able to do that."

 **Jay** : "So have you ever been called 'magic fingers'?"

 **Starforce** : "Not outside the bedroom."

(the audience howls with laughter as Jay collapses at his desk. Julie, shocked but smiling, looks at Bob and hits him while mouthing 'Stop it!')

 **Jay** (still laughing): "I think I need to change the subject..."

 **Ladyhawk/Starforce** : "Please?"

(Jay gets himself under control as Julie elbows Bob again for good measure)

 **Jay** : "Julie, is it true you own one of the Virgin Islands?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "I own a 50% share of Necker Island, on the British side of the border."

 **Jay** : "So how did you end up doing that?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Bob took me to the British Virgin Islands during our honeymoon back in 1992." (beat, cheers from the audience) "We met Sir Richard Branson during our stay, one thing led to another, and we got involved in a little poker game."

 **Jay** : "So he staked his island?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "He only staked half of it. He then attempted to bluff me with a busted straight flush when I was holding a full house, kings over aces."

 **Starforce** : "He was really a good sport about it. I was surprised."

 **Ladyhawk** : "We still get together when we're both in the islands."

 **Jay** : "You brought a video of your last vacation there?"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Yes. We took a quick family trip right after I won the World Series of Poker for a couple of days. With Nathan and Laura both adults now, I don't know how many more times we'll be able to do this as a family."

 **Jay** : "Okay! Let's roll the clip."

(video runs. Applause when it ends)

 **Jay** : "So this is what your typical summer vacation is like?"

 **Starforce** : "Not really."

 **Jay** : "How so?"

 **Starforce** : "Well, for starters her top is on."

(the audience howls with laughter and cheers)

 **Jay** : "Doesn't your swimsuit get tight?"

 **Ladyhawk** (interrupting by leaning between Jay and Bob): "Only when it's on."

(long pause until Jay, Bob, Julie, and the audience finally stop laughing and cheering)

 **Jay** : "You guys don't NEED _Fifty Shades of Grey_! You *live* it!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "We actually found that book boring and unimaginative."

 **Starforce** : "Not to mention technically implausible in places..."

(laughter)

 **Jay** (laughing, indicating Bob): "Nobel Prize in Physics, ladies and gentlemen..." (after he and the audience stop laughing) "Since we're going there, I have to ask. Where's the most exotic location both of you have ever had sex?"

 **Starforce** (beat): "When did this interview turn into _Penthouse Letters_?"

(laughter)

 **Jay** : "Probably when you said your wife dives topless?"

(while audience cheers and howls with laughter, Bob and Julie look at each other while still laughing then nod)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jay): "I'd have to say it would be Low Earth Orbit."

(thunderous cheering from the studio audience)

 **Jay** : "You two tackle the questions those losers at NASA won't!"

(laughter, especially from Bob and Julie)

 **Ladyhawk** (spreading her hands out): "Why CAN'T you combine research and pleasure?"

(still more laughter)

 **Starforce** : "Yeah. More bang for your bu..."

(the howls of laughter and cheering from the audience stop Bob 5 1/2 words too late. He realizes what he just said in current context, and flushes beet-red with embarrasment while laughing hysterically. Julie collapses against him, also laughing hysterically while blushing)

 **Jay** (beat, laughing): "We'll be right back!"

* * *

(Stately Dormyer Manor Mark II, Lakewood Village, TX. One second later)

(Clan Hawkins is watching the _Tonight Show_ in the Great Room. Nathan 'Relativity' Hawkins is facepalming while Jackie 'Arachne' Drake is looking at him, smiling and blushing. Laura 'Chrona' Hawkins is wide-eyed and holding her hands over James Hawkins' ears, while Jillian Hawkins is holding her hands over her mouth. Long pause)

 **Arachne** (to Relativity): "If you want to be like your parents, you have a LOT to live up to."

(Nathan is now blushing furiously)

 **Jillian** (to Nathan and Jackie): "EWWWwwww!"

 **James** (to Laura): "Why do you *not* want me to hear this?"

 **Chrona** : "Quiet, they're coming out of commercial break."

(Clan Hawkins focuses on the TV again)

 **Jay** : "So, what's in the future for you two?"

(Bob and Julie look at each other. Julie nods)

 **Starforce** : "In no particular order, build a kick-ass starship for the United States and terraform Venus."

(applause and cheering)

 **Jay** : "Not Mars?"

 **Starforce** : "Much too easy. If I'm going to terraform a planet, I want an actual challenge."

 **Jay** (to Julie): "And yourself?"

 **Ladyhawk** (beat): "You know, I haven't given it that much thought! At least, not to the extent that Bob has..."

(laughter)

 **Jay** : "Well, let's review here. Your company's worth, what, a gazillion dollars now?"

 **Ladyhawk** (absently): "Only Apple has a higher market capitalization."

 **Jay** : "You play a mean hand of poker, you've been a superhero... Have you thought about politics?"

(Julie starts to answer, then catches herself. Wild cheering suddenly erupts from the studio audience)

 **Ladyhawk** : "Given everything I've done and experienced in my life, I couldn't possibly run for anything less than President..."

(The cheering and applause is now thunderous. A rhythmic chant of 'HAW-KINS! HAW-KINS! HAW-KINS!' swells until most of the studio is doing it. Julie's mouth hangs open in shock. LONG pause)

 **Ladyhawk** (to Jay): "Can I get back to you on that?"

* * *

(VIPER World HQ, somewhere in the Mbang Mountains of western Africa. Three hours later)

(Sir Edgar Lancelyn Essec, Supreme Serpent of VIPER, has been watching a video of the _Tonight Show_. He pauses the playback and thinks for a moment before hitting a control on his phone console)

 **Voice** : "Yes?"

 **Essec** : "Is Operation Orpheus ready to deploy?"

 **Voice** (hesitantly): "Uh, yes sir." (beat) "Do you have a target website or video we can use?"

 **Essec** : "Yes. Search Youtube and hijack all the videos of Julie Dormyer Hawkins' interview of Jay Leno last night. Your infection vector is that interview."

(beat)

 **Voice** : "Yes, sir."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


End file.
